It’s all about bigger picture for Bay artist with top scholarship
[caption id="attachment_236524" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Bongani Njalo, 30, has been chosen for an international arts leadership programme – and is determined to pay it forward Picture: Mark West[/caption]
Through the arts, Port Elizabeth has the potential to become a world-class city, reckons KwaDwesi visual artist Bongani Njalo, who has been accepted into the International Leadership Program in Visual Arts Management (ILPVAM) at the Deusto Business School in Bilbao, Spain and the New York University Steinhardt.
With more than five years of experience serving in the arts industry since majoring in stained glass at the Nelson Mandela University, Njalo, 30, has his heart set on helping his home city achieve world-class arts status through the skills he hopes to acquire through ILPVAM.
The course is divided into two modules – the first in Deusto and the other at Steinhardt.
“Port Elizabeth has the potential to become a world-class city and I know it’s possible through the arts as a catalyst for socio-economic development and beautifying the city in the process,” he said.
Njalo plans to achieve this through his 54 Art Foundation, a programme he launched last year upon his return from the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in the US.
The 54 Art Foundation aims to create sustainable economic opportunities for creative industries and strengthen cultural tourism in the region through a series of programmes and projects in collaboration with local businesses, the university and existing arts organisations, Njalo said.
He said his participation in the International Leadership Program in Visual Arts Management – an industry-specific programme designed for early to mid-career professionals in the visual arts sector taking into account the fickle challenges faced by administrators and institution heads from a global perspective – would help bring to life the vision of his art foundation.
While the 2014 David Koloane Award recipient looks forward to attending the programme in its two locations, he faces financial shortcomings.
“The Deusto University has offered me a 50% scholarship to assist with my tuition fees [for both modules] and besides the outstanding fees, I need to raise money for the remainder of the costs, which includes flights, accommodation and visas ... the total rand value of which is R71849.
“I have to make the first payment of the tuition next month prior to departing for the first module of the programme in Bilbao, Spain in March,” Njalo said.
He believes experiencing programmes, such as the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders and ILPVAM, improved his leadership skills.
“If I am able to be the best possible leader in my field I can reach my full potential and realise a magnificent city out of Port Elizabeth as I have seen other cities prosper on my travels, having lived in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and my short time on the US east coast,” Njalo said.
Donors are welcome to donate on Njalo’s online fundraising campaign on www.generosity.com under “Bongani’s Scholarship to the ILPVAM 2018” or contact bongani.njalo13@gmail.com.
